Refugees by country of asylum in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Refugees by country of asylum was 108,747 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Bulgaria, 1992–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 108,747 people for refugees by country of asylum in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.4% on the previous year and up 886.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Bulgaria peaked at 176,297 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 218 people, in 1992.
That places Bulgaria 50th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 218 people | — |
| 1993 | 443 people | +103.2% |
| 1994 | 1,054 people | +137.9% |
| 1995 | 1,318 people | +25.0% |
| 1996 | 1,431 people | +8.6% |
| 1997 | 382 people | -73.3% |
| 1998 | 241 people | -36.9% |
| 1999 | 542 people | +124.9% |
| 2000 | 1,470 people | +171.2% |
| 2001 | 2,984 people | +103.0% |
| 2002 | 3,642 people | +22.1% |
| 2003 | 4,047 people | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 4,676 people | +15.5% |
| 2005 | 4,388 people | -6.2% |
| 2006 | 4,479 people | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 4,808 people | +7.3% |
| 2008 | 5,108 people | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 5,375 people | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 5,519 people | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 5,676 people | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 2,273 people | -60.0% |
| 2013 | 4,305 people | +89.4% |
| 2014 | 11,026 people | +156.1% |
| 2015 | 16,543 people | +50.0% |
| 2016 | 17,794 people | +7.6% |
| 2017 | 19,166 people | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 19,906 people | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 20,438 people | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 21,113 people | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 22,830 people | +8.1% |
| 2022 | 176,297 people | +672.2% |
| 2023 | 97,618 people | -44.6% |
| 2024 | 108,747 people | +11.4% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 108,747 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 10.8× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 108,747 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68,603 people, 1.6× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +672.2% | 22,830 people | 176,297 people |
| 2000 | +171.2% | 542 people | 1,470 people |
| 2014 | +156.1% | 4,305 people | 11,026 people |
| 1994 | +137.9% | 443 people | 1,054 people |
| 1999 | +124.9% | 241 people | 542 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 703.62 people | 218 people | 1,431 people | 8 |
| 2000s | 4,098 people | 1,470 people | 5,375 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,265 people | 2,273 people | 20,438 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 85,321 people | 21,113 people | 176,297 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More reference data data for Bulgaria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3067 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2728 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2506 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.36 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Bulgaria?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Bulgaria was 108,747 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 176,297 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 218 people in 1992.
- How does Bulgaria rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Bulgaria ranks 50th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 886.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.